Now the internet is inundated with whimsical Ghibli-esque portraits, Barbie-fied posters and Barbie core aesthetics as folks turn themselves into avatars. This trend represents a profound shift in consumer expectations. Now, people are no longer simply buyers in a marketplace, but they are actually creating their own microcosms. Experts say this phenomenon is indicative of the beginning of a new era. Consumers today want profound immersion with the stories and identities they respect, forcing major shifts in peoples’ brand strategies and marketing tactics.
Bhavik Vora, founder of design consultancy Black White Orange Brands, is optimistic that today’s trend marks the beginning of “reverse licensing.” Today, consumers are more immersed with brands and narratives than ever. They don’t just seek to represent these stories, they seek to become these stories, changing themselves into protagonists within them.
"People don’t just want to wear a brand or watch a film anymore. They want to live inside that world." - Bhavik Vora
As avatars go mainstream, the trend is a big indicator of a larger cultural shift, according to Harikrishnan Pillai, CEO and co-founder of digital agency TheSmallBigIdea. Today’s consumers want to live in the spaces they love.
"Everyone’s playing the game, but the ones who understand why and how to show up tend to leave a stronger mark." - Harikrishnan Pillai
Neha Verma, a Bangalore-based product designer, took the trend a step further and brought herself to life as a Ghibli character. She found that it reflected exactly the type of person she wanted to present online, representing a strong motivation for self-expression and identity formation.
"Turning yourself into a Ghibli-style character is a way of saying, ‘This story is part of who I am’" - Bhavik Vora
Prachi Bali, exec vp and head of Saatchi Propagate — the agency’s sustainable ideas division — considers this trend as an indicator of a bigger behavioral shift. The audience has become more insistent on interactivity and instant gratification. She reminds us that although some trends are passing fads, the human nature behind them is here to stay.
"While these trends may appear short-lived, the underlying behaviour, interest in interactivity and instant gratification is here to stay." - Bali
"What this shows is how everybody wants to be a creator of some sort. Technology just feeds off this desire, with a layer of novelty and engagement that is active and allows us to parade as self-expression." - Prachi Bali
This major change opens up new doors for brands, but can pose significant threats as well. Vora knows that she’s giving them “incredible free advertising.” It also sounds the alarm for copyright infringement if the content is commercially used without consent.
"On one hand, it’s amazing free marketing. On the other, if used commercially without permission, it can cross into infringement territory." - Bhavik Vora
Brands are increasingly affected by people’s desire to participate in a narrative. Vora’s firm, along with many others, is recalibrating in the wake of this change and looking to bring consumers into the story—not just as spectators, but as participants.
"If the trend is interesting, relevant and big enough… we jump on it… shamelessly." - Harikrishnan Pillai
As Bali points out, it’s about using technology to create a richer experience with the brand. And she reminds creators that the real magic of AI comes from making it dynamic and engaging—personalizing content, not just blasting it out.
"At Saatchi Propagate, strategy defines our action. Trends are fun to chase, but how it adds up matters. The real AI action lies in enabled tech that impacts brand experience." - Bali
"We haven’t even seen the tip of the user-generated content strategy iceberg yet." - Bali
Priya Narayanan, assistant professor of marketing at IIM Kozhikode, highlights the psychological aspect of this phenomenon, stating that "egocentric processing lies at the centre of consumer psychology." This hints at a deeply ingrained human bias that starts with the assumption that each of us is the hero in our own tale.
Marketers need to understand the difference between a fleeting fad and a permanent trend in order to truly take advantage of these changes. Even Narayanan, whose work focuses on the positive potential of engagement, is adamant that you need to know what’s motivating consumers to develop strategies that engage them effectively.
"AI-generated self-portraits are the item numbers of the digital world—flashy and viral, but rarely central to the plot." - Harikrishnan Pillai
"Short-lived is the new normal. In a thumb swipe, in 10 minutes, instant is what the narrative is. Multiply that with personalisation and bang! That’s the engagement fodder all brands need." - Bali
